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PoetrySongs of Innocence and of ExperienceWilliam BlakeSongs of Innocence and of Experience

Songs of Innocence and of Experience

William Blake

PoetryEnglish
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These two sets of short poems show, in Blake's own words, 'the two contrary states of the human soul'. The Songs of Innocence speak with the voice of…

Catalogue details

Author
William Blake
Category
Poetry
Language
English
Source
Project Gutenberg

About this book

These two sets of short poems show, in Blake's own words, 'the two contrary states of the human soul'. The Songs of Innocence speak with the voice of childhood: a lamb, a shepherd, a laughing song, an echoing green, and a little chimney sweeper who still dreams of an angel. The Songs of Experience answer them with fear, injustice and repression: the fierce 'Tyger, tyger, burning bright', the sick rose, and the 'mind-forg'd manacles' heard in every street of London.

Context and significance

William Blake (1757–1827) was a London engraver who printed these poems himself, in 1789 and 1794, etching words and pictures together on copper plates and colouring each copy by hand with his wife Catherine, so no two copies are alike. Almost unknown in his lifetime, he is now counted among the great English poets and artists. For other early Romantics, see Lyrical Ballads.

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